Time for Fire Emblem Direct, but before you jump into that... I just have to speak on something.

So we all know the Nintendo Switch is coming and all that good stuff, but i'm looking at the releases... and (hmmm) I hope the system takes flight with fresh experiences mostly. I don't seek a blast from the past.

Nintendo mentioned that there will be 80+ games headed to the console, and... as some of you have probably seen on twitter, I had to respond to them by saying:

I meant every character without trying to be mean, its genuine because I love systems with solid libraries that justify the purchase. There are plenty of games that will be new, but I won't want to revisit a bunch of old'sh (yep... old'sh) games that I could play elsewhere unless they're worth it, I haven't played them yet... and/or they're priced right. I don't know what the majority of the 80+ games are but they'd better have a realistic price. No developer in their right mind can be pissed at gamers or blame the console for their decision in overpricing a title, and if you're a developer and/or publisher... i'm talking to you. Stop while you're ahead and play it smart.

Even with new games, they have to get in... where they fit in (price wise). I personally will not be paying $50 for Super Bomberman R and I think its absolutely gutsy for Konami (who has already pissed off a lot of gamers) to charge that amount, but I will say that I don't know how much content the game has (i'm not taking that risk either). They lost the talents of Kojima, but they still have Metal Gear Solid titles like Phantom Pain & the upcoming MGS: Survive that could see the light of day on the system (if they wanted to deliver more).

I don't want to see the majority of the games lean towards colorful multiplayer action that are simplified, but they are welcome though (from a variety standpoint). Even though Konami may be wanting to test the waters, $50 for Super Bomberman R might require them to cross those fingers clutching a lucky rabbits foot... while standing on a pile of 4 leaf clovers. Not because its a bad game (don't know if it is or not), I actually like Bomberman... and a digital version at $20 (Tops) would sell a lot more units in my opinion. If every player needs their own copy, that's $160 which wouldn't be much of a stretch at $20/each for 8 player action. $50... is when you get into that region where some of us start looking at other options (a lot more), because the money could be better spent on one of the bigger titles of the year. Think about it.

Fire Emblem Heroes will be easily accessible to the masses without the need to purchases an additional device, Nintendo played it smart. It won't have all the goods of a Switch or nN3DS but... it appears to be an interesting experience as Nintendo makes a move on micro-transactions with this one. I wouldn't put it as my number 1, but I want to play it.

The Fire Emblem title in development for Nintendo Switch is the most interesting to me... i'm curious to see what they will do with the systems capabilities. I want to see what those visuals look like and what the overall package has to over in terms of the experience.

Fire Emblem Echoes... looks okay and it gives Nintendo 3DS owners more Fire Emblem action to look forward, but if I had to choose one... it would be the Nintendo Switch title (just because).

I don't want to dump on this one... but not really interested in this one. The good thing is... variety is a beautiful thing to not only accommodate me but to also hook up the gamer's that enjoy Warriors action.

Are you going to be playing with Nintendo Power at launch, wait more games, a price drop or pass?

Questions... questions!

The Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017... wasn't as up to snuff as some Nintendo Direct presentations, but it was quite enjoyable. I didn't go in with any expectations, but Nintendo ridding itself of the region locking was smart (about damn time)... because all you do is take a steaming hot crap on the sales that a game might of received (by taking away options).

I didn't see anything around an achievement system, but they were just covering the overall hardware and game software. I do hope there is an achievement system though, a lot of games receive replays (by many gamers) because there are achievements there that they want to obtain. If it adds to an overall achievement score, that's a badge of honor... because your skills are spoken for.

There wasn't a ton of games, but Super Mario Odyssey... is one of the titles that I must get my hands on. I saw some games that were yesterdays news, but i'm glad they didn't take those and put them smack dab at the forefront like they are must haves for a new console. One that may get a pass is Skyrim... but the truth is in the sales (ultimately).

Super Mario Odyssey should've been a launch title for the switch... just like Super Mario 3D World should've been a launch title for the Wii U, but they are lining themselves up for the next Holiday season (which I don't want to think of right now, time is flying).

One of the biggest questions I have about this game is... "How big is the world?". - Blu

Where ever Mario is... Bowser isn't far behind. GWAHAHAHA!!! - RkRk

Thinking about the launch date of the Nintendo Switch, it lands in a place... that's (hmmm) a bit interesting. A launch right after the holiday's misses the... holiday shoppers, and some gamer's are still working on building those saving back up in the new year. Take a look at the North American launch dates for Nintendo handhelds and home consoles below, while it's not spot on... the Nintendo Switch's launch date isn't that far off from the 3DS. If developers begin releasing games for the console before and after the E3 2017 window... it could nab gamers that are full of the... E3 spirit. :p

About damn time we can play Nintendo's console games in handheld form, but I wish it was a phone so the only fee would be the phone service. - Luis D. Lucha

Now that you mention it... I wonder how well this would run connected to my phone's

internet sharing. If it works well, that would be online gaming on the go for this home &

portable hybrid. - Blu

How durable is the screen? - Yang

It had better be durable. - Blu

They will probably give us custom wallpaper options like the 3DS. - RkRk

It would be dumb if they didn't or didn't give us the option to change it ourselves. - Luis D. Lucha

Nintendo's taking you into a world of arena style battles via a game simply titled... ARMS. This game delivers motion controlled action that feels like an updated and even more action packed version of Wii Sports Boxing. You use the Joy-Con controllers to control your fighter and knuckle up to take down your opponent with precision... or crossed fingers if your aim isn't that good. Seems like it could be fun... for awhile, but I hope there is depth that makes this title well worth the $60 price tag. I want a fantastic single player campaign and I also want to be able to play ARMS without flailing mine around.

I don't want to sound like a hater, but will it hold up? It's pretty and all but I hope it isn't motion controlled only. Please Nintendo, i'm a lazy gamer. - Luis D. Lucha

Another exclusive title that "seems" more like a gimmicky experience for the console is... 1, 2, Switch. You don't need the screen to play this game... you use the left and right sides of the Joy-Con controller. I can't write it off as a game that no one will be interested in, its just not one of the games that catches my interest... but the variety is good.

Splatoon 2 is... almost a given, and as you see (whether Nintendo wants to admit it or not)... they listened to us. This second installment will be released in the summer time (go back and take a look at the post for the 1st installment of Splatoon). I mentioned then that I feel its one of those games that's perfect for summertime and gaming the days away with friends. You can kick back after a day at the beach, a BBQ or around the pool with potential friends as you create new memories on the battlefield.

I've said this before and i'll say it again, a Nintendo portable console with steam similar to the 3DS (and hopefully better)... should keep the doors of interest wide open when it comes to developers seeking to get new games to an audience that makes the development worth their while financially.

If titles remain consistent when it comes to 1st and 3rd party, we will really be playing with Nintendo Power.

Now lets get to other games I want to see on the Nintendo Switch: I want an 8-player Monster Hunter, a new Phantasy Star Online, a great FPS adventure bringing Metroid back in mind blowing fashion, Shenmue 1 + 2 & 3... and other good time games that I can kick back and enjoy. Being portable allows for a little more time to be invested in playing when i'm away from home or the office. So that's why i'm even more interested in certain games being released on this (portable) console.

If you're checking out this post... you're either a regular around here (whats up?!), you're into tech related postings or... you're an owner (or potential owner) trying to get a definitive answer as to what in the heck is compatible with the HP Envy x360 (as far as a stylus is concerned). I shared in that frustration as the owner of one, so I wanted to dig in to try and find information to shed light on potential solutions for both you and I.

If you have yet to get your hands on one of these 2-in-1 laptops, don't make the quick decision to jump into the purchase because you've seen a stylus listed on the product page (no no).

It may not seem like a big deal (to some), but making a purchase under the impression that something has the capability to do something that you're investing in for the purpose of utilizing that feature often... can be highly annoying. The annoyance would probably higher for artists who may have purchased this 2-in-1 under the assumption that it may allow for an on-screen drawing experience... beyond that of digital finger painting (or an attachable drawing tablet).

So will this thing work with a digital stylus or not?

Answer:

There are HP stylus options with one particular pen product shown to be compatible on the official website (seen here) with certain HP Envy x360 models (... I count 2). That's cool... but shouldn't that be on the product page for the stylus products also? It would be a bonus to the customer to see that listed on the 2-in-1 product page also. Just saying, but the link for compatibility should point you in the right direction for which can or can't work with the digital pens. Look for those particular models, because models like the M6 are... not compatible with a digital pen. You can use a plain stylus or a fine point stylus, but they don't exactly work that well (which can vary when it comes to the software you use). I've done some doodling with a standard stylus below to show a quick example (and based on my experience... you can get some decent lines as long as you press on the screen firm enough w/ constant contact).The dots in the doodle were actually starting points, and I didn't remove the stylus from the screen... it just did that (which can be annoying if you're seeking to draw in depth). You can imagine a constant need to erase dots being a pain in the... you know what, so I had to put it out there. I used a few art programs and the result was similar, but I will say that I was surprised by a particular sketch app (for what its worth). I won't say that it performed as well as using a Wacom or even a Surface tablet (which have digital pen capabilities)... but its okay.

I hope this helps you with your purchase decision, especially if you're an artist in pursuit of a laptop that gives you the freedom to draw on screen. Excuse the handwriting on the drawing, but that's part of the example (which reads "Drawn with basic stylus"). Beyond drawing, its not a horrible 2 in 1, but they do need to get all the ducks in a row as far as functionality is concerned:- The bluetooth doesn't hold the connection with devices like bluetooth headphones (based on my personal experience). It will disconnect during use and will reconnect at times, but that gets annoying... so using it seriously isn't really an option (right now).

- The mouse pointer will vanish after waking the laptop up at times, requiring you to use the touch screen or restart to get it back (unless you luck up and get it back after placing it back to sleep... and then waking it back up again). Yay! #Sarcasm- The pop up notifications will remain on the screen (and won't go away until the laptop has been restarted at times). It remains on top also, no level of refreshing will take it away either.- Online videos won't play (at times) requiring a restart. Super annoying.- Unplugging a USB device can cause a blue screen (watch dog) error that restarts the PC after a scan.- If you happen to get an Envy x360 that's compatible with a stylus, you can fold it back to enter tablet mode... but drawing on the go with this thing in your hand will be a challenge for a long period of time (its nearly 5 pounds). Place it on something that will give you comfort if this is the laptop for you. I haven't used it in tablet mode or tent mode since I haven't had much of a reason to without digital stylus compatibility, but I may dabble with it before attaching a drawing tablet.

But... yeah, there are various things that need to be corrected with this system (running Windows 10), but when i'm not facing these wtf situations, its pretty good. This laptop delivers a higher end appearance and feel at a good price and beyond productivity... you also have the option to game. I've played Rocket League, Ori & The Blind Forest D.E., Alien Rage Unlimited, Shadowrun Chronicles - Boston Lockdown, etc.So the ability to game is a plus beyond browser games, because this isn't what i'd list as a gaming laptop... but I can still make it do what it do when I want to get in some game time (and it out performs my old gaming laptop for sure). That said, with the ups and downs of this system... I give it a 2.5 out of 5. If it were compatible with a stylus, it would receive a 3.5... which would go higher with the necessary fixes in place.There are other options out there though, so do your research, find out what you want and don't skip out on the reviews (ever). Until next time, this is Blu... signing out (game on)!Here are the specs:

Yeah yeah, more eShop action is here for your enjoyment, but... what we are waiting for is the Nintendo Switch Presentation that arrives on Blu's Birthday! You will have access to it below (at the reserved date and time).

January 12th, 2017 @ 8PT/11ET

Jan. 5, 2017 14:00 UTC

Nintendo News: Nintendo Download, Jan. 5, 2017: Gotta Snap ’em All!

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:

The Nintendo 64 cult classic is now on the Wii U console! Travel to Pokémon Island to embark on a safari and take the best possible in-game photographs of 63 different Pokémon. (Photo: Business Wire)Virtual Console on Wii U

Pokémon Snap – The Nintendo 64 cult classic is now on the Wii U console! Travel to Pokémon Island to embark on a safari and take the best possible in-game photographs of 63 different Pokémon. The island has many types of climates and environments to explore, along with secret activities and hidden passages to discover. Some of the Pokémon can be a little shy and won’t pose for the camera unless you tease them with special items. After you’re done, submit one picture of each Pokémon to Professor Oak, and he’ll judge it based on size, pose, technique and number of Pokémon captured. Can you snap the perfect shot?

Nintendo eShop sales:

Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS

Great deals this week include Nano Assault EX, Midnight 2andSoccer Up Online, plus several more! Check out the full list of deals on digital games for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems available this week athttp://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals.

Activities:

Kirby and Yoshi Join My Nintendo’s Rewards Lineup – My Nintendo is kicking off the New Year with discount rewards on select digital games featuring Kirby and Yoshi. Fans can redeem My Nintendo points for discounts on the following digital games athttps://my.nintendo.com:

Get a New Nintendo 3DS or Nintendo 2DS System During the Holidays? – You alreadyknow your new Nintendo system plays awesome games, but here are a few more ways tomake the most out of your new system. Visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/get-started to learnmore.